Howdy all,

I was just looking for some information about how you folks have been able to best communicate problems you've encountered with your dealership.

My first service experience left much to be desired, it actually annoyed me greatly. I communicated my feelings with the service manager via e-mail when they sent me one of those 'please score us well on the ford survey letter' type things. Unfortunately, while the service advisor was more cordial, they didn't have success in fixing the problems and I relented up after a week without results.

I'm preparing for a long road trip and want to get everything in order. So...

Has anyone had any luck providing information from these forums to the service advisor to help pin-down the problem?

I'm experiencing a drivers side dashboard rattle, the left drivers side rear door squeak, the reverse and suspension movement squeak and my NAV system doesn't seem to know how to keep itself on track either.

I'm not sure how to best translate this to my dealership so they understand that I'm not just pulling their chain.

Any suggestions? Thanks a lot!

Tom,

The easiest way I have found to communicate with these people is to write them a note telling them exactly what is wrong with the vehicle. Give a copy to the service advisor and leave another copy on the seat for the tech to see (this is especially important if your problem is cold-start related and you are leaving it at night).

Here is what I always put in the note: what it is doing, when it is doing it, when it is NOT doing it, what causes it to be worse, what makes it better, is it weather related, etc. Any Details will help.

When you are dropping off your car to them and there is a line of people waiting, you don't want to try to remember everything then. The service advisor isn't going to want to write down everything you tell them and will probably miss half of what you say.

I have had good luck doing this and the service advisor at the dealership I use has told me several times that they appreciate having stuff in writing.

Remember, details, details, details.

Good luck.

Tom:
The other thing I discovered when I purchased my FEH is that Ford has a special certification for Hybrid mechanics above and beyond their normal certification. If you bring your SUV to the dealer for anything Hybrid related be sure that they have a certified hybrid mechanic on staff and that he/she will be the one working on your Escape. My dealer, Ford of Bellevue, just had their second mechanic become certified to work on hybrids. They only had one prior to this.

His and hers hybrids, it's a beautiful thing!

It also helps if you can give them a situation in which your complaints are obvious. For example, if the rattling is bad at 40 MPH, tell them that. Don't just tell them there's a rattling when you're driving about.

First 4WD Hypermiler

Have you read the FEH FAQ?

Live in Michigan? Let it be known in Michigan Roll Call

Read My Automotive Blog at Rich Rambles

The easiest and clearest way is go to the dealership yourself and ask a mechanic to sit right next to you, and you drive the car to show him/her the problem.

They can't deny any problems this way.